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CONVERGENCE

“The concept of convergence, that is the coming together or joining of previously discrete items, has taken on a particular set of meanings during the 1990s in the context of changes within the communications industries and their related technologies.”

Long before anyone had heard of the Internet, early home computer users could read their morning newspapers online.

“Imagine if you will, sitting down to your morning coffee, turning on your home computer, to read the days newspaper. Well, it’s not as far fetched as it may seem.”

To me, this video is mind-blowing. It perfectly depicts the evolution and revolution of the ability to read the days newspaper on a computer. Then I think of where we are today.

Not only can I download specific news apps from the App Store on my iPhone, rather than buying the newspaper itself, like such;

But I can even filter my preferred publications on my ‘news’ app in my News folder on my smartphone. Like so;

Regardless of the fact that we live in the 21st generation, where social networks are now a part of our ‘everyday’; the ability to do this still ceases to astound me.

Moreover, “The growth of mobile technology and methods of communication seen over recent years means there are significant challenges as well as opportunities for traditional news providers.” (BBC Trust, 2014, p. 20) So I got to thinking… What’s the use in still printing traditional news publications when they’re available at anytime and anywhere, on our technological devices?

(Fairbrother, 2008, p. 41) says, “The Internet is a great disintermediation tool.” Following it on with, “The success for YouTube has proved there is huge appetite for video consumption and the old style schedule driven broadcasting model has reached the end of its life.” It’s true. The internet is exhilarating to say the least. The list of the internet’s possibilities is also endless.

25 year-old YouTuber Zoe Sugg proves the impact importing videos to YouTube can have on your life. Having started her YouTube channel in 2009, she is now thought to earn £20,000 a month from advertisers alone.

This video has received over 14 million views

“It’s the beginning of the end with ‘take away TV’ providing the most convenient model for watching TV style content on multiple platforms where ever and whenever the audience wants to.”

In addition to content that is available 24/7, anybody has the ability to provide content to YouTube. The best thing about this?

Anybody can be a news provider.

Reference: ‘Convergence’ 2004, in The Sage Dictionary of Cultural Studies, Sage UK, London